Composite pile



June 4, 1 929. s. SHERWOOD COIPOSITE FILE Filed Jan. 6, 1927 lIufentor.

Patented June 4, 1929.

{UNITED STATES GLENN L. SHERWOOD, 01? OAK PARK, ILLINOIS, ASSIGNOR TO WESTERN FOUNDATION COMPANY, OF CHICAGO, ILLINOIS, A CORPORATION OF ILLINOIS.

oomrosrrn PILE.

Application filed January 6, 1927. Serial no 159,315.

. My invention relates to a composite pile consisting of a lower wood section, intended to be driven down below the permanent water line, and an upper concrete section 5 cast in place above the wood section; and the principal objects of the invention are to provide certain novel and improved devices and arrangements, in connection with a pile of this type, for bonding the concrete. section in a reliable manner to the wood section in the casing through which it is driven; for preventing water from entering the space around the head of the wood section, into which concrete is poured in the formation of the upper section; and forpreventing the concrete section before it has become set, from being forced-away from the wood section by the heaving of the ground, which is likely to occur when a number of piles are driven close to each other.

Other incidental objects will be referred to in the following description of the preferred embodiment of the invention shown inthe accompanying drawing. Because of these several improvements, preferablythough' not necessarily used in combination, the formation of piles of this type is facilitated, their intended maximum strength is assured and the disturbance of the bond between wood and concrete sections is prevented.

In the accompanying drawing,

Fig. 1' is a fragmentary longitudinal section of a composite pile embodying all of the preferred features of my, invention, this figure also showing the casing employed in forming the pile.

Fig. 2 is a fragmentary sectional view on a larger scale, of the upper end of the wood section and the lower end of the concrete section.

Fig. 3 is a sectional plan, looking upwardly, on line 33 of Fig.9.

Fig. 4 is a fragmentary plan view on the same line, but looking downwardly, and

Fig. 5 is a detail .view in perspective illustrating one of the detents used for preventing the heaving of the ground from bringing about a separation of the concrete sectionfrom' the wood section.

In forming a composite pile of the type with which this invention is concerned, a steel casing 10 containing a fairly closely fitting mandrel, which extends substantially .the pile if driven down into such a stratum will not rot. The upper concrete section, located in a stratum which may be alternately wet and dry is, because of the material of which it is made, capable of enduring indefinitely under conditions if this sort.

In forming the pile of my invention, the

casing 10, with its mandrel, is driven down to a oint some distance below the permanent ater line, which is indicated at a,a, Fig. 1. The mandrel is then .withdrawn from casing 10, and the wood section 11 of the pile is put into .the casing and, by suitable means, preferably by means of the same mandrel, is driven down through the casing until its upper end is below the line 'w-a. Preferably the upper end of the wood section 11 is of reduced diameter forming a head 12.

In order to provide a form for the concrete which is to constitute the upper section of the pile, a cylindrical structure, which may be of wood, but which preferably is composed of relatively thin metal, and has a diameter approximately that of the maximum diameter of the pile, is put into the v casing 10, so that its lower end extends over the head and rests on the shoulder 13 on the wood section. The form is shown as consisting of a circumferentially corrugated cylinder 14 of 20,0r 22 gauge steel which may be made in sections. When in place on the wood, it is filled with a body of concrete 15. To reinforce the part of this concrete body which surrounds the head 12 of the wood section, metal reinforcing bars are provided consisting preferably of uprights 16, with'their ends bent inwardly at 16' and a spiral member 17. When the concrete-has been poured, the casing '10 may be removed. The corrugated sheathing 14 will ordinarily rust away in time. Its function is to provide' a form for the concrete until the latter has set. I

In order to center the wood section in the casing 10, so as to insure that the form 14, when it is dropped into the 'casing 10, will pass over the head 12 of the Wood. section instead of being stopped against the top of the head as may happen if the wood section is much out of line in the casing, the wood section is provided with a plurality of centering devices, four being shown, which consist preferably of angular metal strips 18, the horizontal legs 19 ofwhich rest upon and are preferably secured by suitable fastening devices 20 to the shoulder 13 of the wood section, while the depending legs are secured by fastening devices 21 to the sideof' the pile. These wood piles will vary somewhat in diameter. The heads however, are ordinarily cut to a uniform diameter. By making the horizontal legs of the centering devices of uniform length and by abutting their ends against pile, the spread of the centering devices will e uniform. These devices, moreover, can spring a trifle, if necessary, to fit into the casing 10.

When the ground into which the Wood section of the pile is driven is very wet, water is likelyv to rise between the wood section and casing 10 and may reach the shoulder 13 of the pile before the form 14 has been put in place thereon or at least before the concrete has been poured and has set. If this occurs, and particularly if any considerable amount of water enters the space between the form and the head of the wood pile before the concrete is poured, the quality of this part of the concrete section will be detrimentally affected and the strength and load carrying capacity of the pile will be impaired. In order to force back any water which may have collected in casing 10 before the Wood pile section 11 has beenplaced therein, and to prevent water thereafter from entering the casing, the wood pile section is provided near its upper end with a plunger having a fairly closefit with the inside of casing 10. This plunger consists preferably of several windings 22 of rope, (rags, waste or other like material might be used) which are held in place by clips 23, so. that they will not when the pile section is put into the casing by striking against the edge of the casing, for example.

In order to provide against the upward displacement of the concrete section, before the concrete has set, which may otherwise occur on account of the heaving of the ground which frequently takes place when piles of this sort are driven close to each the form 14 is proof detents 24, four other in certain soils, vided with a plurality for example, which extend-diagonally up-v wardly and inwardly, with ends bearing against the head 12 of the wood section. To increase the holding power of the detents, the cylindrical surface of the head is preferably made rough, for example, a wire 25 may be wound around the head in separate the head 12 of the be dislodged turns or spiral form and fastened thereto by staples 26. The detents have their outer .ends rounded, as indicated at 27, so as to fit one of the corrugations 28'of the form 14;. The shape of the ends is such,- preferably, as to prevent the detents from dropping down .before the form is put into place over the head of the wood section, The de tents are preferablyloosely attached to the form, for example, by tie wires 29, so that they may pivot or rock, as the form is lowered, and ratchet over the turns of wire 25. In case the earth is heaved upwardly against the form 14, after casing 10 has been removed, the detents 24 will be put under compression against the head of the wood section and resist any upward movement of the form.

As-the thrust of the detents against the form may be considerable, and as the form is, for the sake of economy, made as thin as possible, the portion of it against which the detents bear, is preferably reinforced, for example, by a wire armoring 30, consisting of any suitable number of separate or continuous turns of'wire wrapped around the form at this place.

It will be understood that the wood section of the pile is provided with the centering devices and the means for excluding water, and that its head is wound with wire 12 before it is placed in the casing 10. The form 14 is first provided with the detents and armoring and, so furnished, is put into the casing 10 after the wood section has been driven down to the full extent. The rein forcements 16 and 17, suitably wired together, are put in place over the head 12, and then the concrete is poured into the form, whereupon the casing 10 is pulled out of the ground and used for constructing another pile.

Realizing that modifications might be made without departure from the principles of m invention, I .wish it to be understood that propose to cover all forms and embodiments of the invention within the scope of the appended claims.

I claim:

1. In a composite pile, the combination with a lower wood section, an upper concrete section and a form for retaining the concrete of the upper section when poured which extends over the upper end of the wood section, of means for preventing the concrete section from separating from the wood section comprising a gravity actuated detent interposed between and engaging said form and wood section. 1

2. In a composite pile, the combination with a lower wood section, an upper concrete section and a form, for retaining the concrete of the upper section when poured which extends over the upper end of the wood section, of means for preventing the concrete section from separating from the wood section comprising a detent pivoted to said form and adapted to bear against the wood section.

3. In a composite pile, the combination with a lower wood section, an upper concrete section and a form for retaining the concrete of the upper section when poured which e1;- tends over the upper end of the Wood section, of means for preventing the concrete section from separating from the Wood section comprising a detent loosely connected with the form and adapted to bear against the wood sect-ion.

4. In a composite pile, the combination with a lower wood section, an upper concrete section, and a metal form for retaining the concrete of the upper section when poured,

which extends over the upper end of the wood section, of means for preventing the concrete section from separating from the wood section, comprising obliquely disposed detents between the form and wood section, and a reinforcing means on the outside of the form to take the thrust of the detents.

5. In a composite pile, the combination with a lower wood section, an upper concrete section, and a metal form for retaining the concrete of the upper section when poured, which extends over the upper end of the wood section, of means for preventing the concrete section from separating from the wood section, comprising obliquely disposed detents between the form and wood section, and a plurality of turns of wire wound around said form to reinforce the form against the thrust of the detents.

6. In a composite pile, the combination with a lower wood section, an upper concrete section, and a metal form for retaining the concrete of the upper section when poured which extends over the upper end of the wood section, of obliquely disposed detents loosely connected with the form and adapted to bear against the wood section, and reinforcing means on the outside of said form to take the thrust of said detents.

7. in a composite pile, the combination with a lower wood section, an upper concrete section and a form for retaining the concrete of the upper section when poured which extends over the upper end of the wood'section, of means for engaging the form with the wood section comprising detents loosely connected with the form and adapted to bear against the wood section, and a wire wound around the upper end of the wood section with which the detents are adapted to engage. a

8. Ina composite pile, the combination with a lower wooyl section, an upper concrete section, and a circumferentially corrugated metal form for retaining the concrete of the upper section when poured which extends over the upper end of the Wood section, of

detents having rounded ends to bear in one of the corugations of the form and loosely connected therewith, and hearing at their inner ends against the upper end of said wood section.

9, A. composite pile comprising a lower wood section, the upper end of which is of reduced diameter, an upper concrete section which encloses the upper end of the Wood section, a form which retains the concrete, when poured, of the upper section, and de tents loosely connected with said form and projecting diagonally upwardly to engage the reduced end of the wood section.

10. A composite pile comprising a lower wood section, the upper end of which is of reduced diameter, an upper concrete section which encloses the upper 'end of the wood section, a form which retains the concrete, when poured, of the upper section, detents loosely connected with said form and projecting diagonally upwardly to engage the reduced end of the wood section, and a wire Wound in severalturns around the form to take the thrust of the detents.

11. A composite pile comprisinga lower wood section, the upper end of which is of reduced diameter, an upper concrete section which encloses the upper end of the wood section, a form which retains the concrete, when poured, of the upper section, detents loosely connected with said form and projecting diagonally upwardly to engage the reduced end of the wood section and a wire wound around the reduced portion of the wood section to be engaged by said detents.

12. A composite pile comprising a lower wood section, the upper end of which is of reduced diameter, an upper concrete section which encloses the upper end of the wood section, a form which retains the concrete,

when poured, of the upper section, detents loosely connected with said form and projecting diagonally upwardly to engage the reduced end of the wood section, a wire wound around the reduced portion of the Wood section to be engaged by said detents, and a wire wound in several turns around the form to reinforce the same against the thrust of the detents.

13. The combination with a composite pile comprising an upper concrete section and a lower wood section, the latter adapted to be driven through a cylindrical easing into the ground, of centering devices carried at the upper end of the wood section for centering said section in the casing during the driving operation.

14;. The combination with a composite pile comprising an upper concrete section and a lower wood section, the latter adapted to be driven through a cylindrical easing into the ground and being formedwith its upper portion of reduced diameter providing a shoulder, of centering devices for centering the wood section in the casing which lie upon said shoulder and project outwardly therefrom. v

15. The combination with a composite pile comprising an upper concrete section and a lower wood section, the latter adapted 'to be driven through a cylindrical casing into the ground, of resilient centering devices carried at the upper end of the Wood section for centering said section in the casing during the driving operation.

16. The combination with a composite pile comprising an upper concrete section and a lower wood section, the latter adapted to be driven through a cylindrical casing into the ground and being formed with its upper portion of reduced diameter providing a shoulder, of resilient centering devices for centering the wood section in the casing which bear upon said shoulder and project outwardly therefrom.

17 i The combination with a composite pile comprising an upper concrete section and a lower-wood section, the latter adapted to be driven through a cylindrical casing into the ground, of a plurality of angular metallic elements secured to the Wood section to center it in said casing.

18. The combination with a composite pile comprising an upper concrete section and a lower wood section, the latter adapted to be driven through a cylindrical casing into the ground and being formed with its upper portion of reduced diameter providing a shoulder, of a plurality of angular metallic elements each having a horizontal leg bearing on said shoulder and abutted against the reduced portion of the pile and a depending leg which is secured to the side of the p1 e.

GLENN L. SHERWOOD. 

